This show has been nearly three years in the making and is my biggest exhibiton to date! "i luv u, MPLS!" is a gratitude show and my way of saying THANK YOU Minneapolis for supporting me as an artist!

As an artist, I love the way both art and dogs bring people together, creating a common ground between those who might otherwise remain strangers. Incredibly, I'm lucky enough to experience a life that includes both! Once upon a time, I didn't believe it was possible to fully support myself as an artist. But then something happened: Minneapolis proved me wrong!! For the past 8 years I've been living my dream and loving what I do. It's taken me around the world and back again. And now? It's time to have a show in celebration of YOU!

As much as this is a show of gratitude, it will also a show of goodbye. With a heart full of love and deep thanksgiving, I will soon be moving to Africa to follow a call on my life where I'll be using my energy, talents and tendencies in new ways as I start an organization (The JOY Collective) working with widows and vulnerable children.

Just over a year ago, my life was turned upside down when my fiancé, Carl Bratlien, was tragically killed in a car accident. It has been a year of great difficulty, but also of great healing. I've had a powerful community of folks standing by my side through all of it, including my clients and animal loving cohorts. Tragedy is pulling me forward in new ways and Stray Dog Arts has prepared me for much of it. I am as ready as ever to let the greatness of these past 8 years evolve in the direction of where this life is leading me next.

With my whole heart, I hope to share this beautiful night of friendship, love, dogs and art with you. Thank you for showing me how absolutely possible it is to follow my heart and be supported in doing so.

Interested in inviting others? PLEASE do! We would LOVE it if you would help us spread the word by letting others know about the opening night! Friends, family, neighbors, co-workers, your dog's best friends...whoever you'd like! This event will also be a fundraising opportunity for Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. We'd love a crowd in support of the good work they do and so, together, let's create one!

Your truly featured on Fox9 News THIS SUNDAY at 9pm!

Sunday, August 2, 2015

News story airing THIS SUNDAY (Aug 2nd, 2015) at 9pm!

For the past several weeks, Fox9 News has been working incredibly hard on a story about my work and the "i luv u, MPLS!" exhibition. It is scheduled to air THIS Sunday, August 2nd at 9pm. It's exciting to have such devoted media attention.

Amy and the Fox9 crew have worked tirelessly on this story. It is such an honor to know that my work and projects have spoken so deeply to those who have become a part of it. I invite you to tune in and see what they have to say. I have to admit, I am curious, too! Not in the Minnesota area or won't be able to catch it? I will post a link to the segment as soon as it becomes available!

Calling all Minneapolis dogs! :: i luv u, MPLS! :: Last chance for a special project opportunity!!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

About the project...

Welcome to my gratitude project! As an artist, I love the way both art and dogs bring people together, creating a common ground between those who might otherwise remain strangers. Incredibly, I'm lucky enough to experience a life that includes both art AND dogs! Once upon a time, I didn't believe it was possible to fully support myself as an artist. But then something happened: Minneapolis proved me wrong!! For the past six years, I've been living my dream and loving what I do. And now? It's time to have a show in celebration of YOU!

I am currently looking for participants to become part of an upcoming exhibition: i luv u, MPLS!This project, the culmination of an ongoing series, reflects a sense of place and is rooted in a celebration of community. It is my way of saying:

THANK YOU, MINNEAPOLIS!

If your dog lives, works or plays in the Minneapolis area and is interested in taking part, please contact me! {jessie (at) straydogarts (dot) com}

The perks...

The details...

In the past 7 years I have done several major solo exhibitions including the Dogs of Bryn Mawr, Dogs of Linden Hills, Dogs of Edina, Animals of AHS, and BULLDOG (just to name a few). i luv u, MPLS! is gearing up to be the biggest exhibition to date! Each show takes on a tremendous life of its own and something tells me that this one is going to be no exception!

So how does it work?

I am offering my old prices to anyone who commits to being a part of this exhibition. Due to an increasingly extended wait list, my prices have recently doubled. However, I want to extend my old pricing to Minneapolis area residents who become a part of this project as my way of saying THANK YOU to the community of dog lovers and art enthusiasts who have helped me to succeed in doing what I love most. Prices start at $1,800. This includes a private professional-grade photoshoot with your dog(s), consultations and, of course, an original work of art of YOUR dog(s)! Not to mention, you get to jump the wait list for commissioned portraits! Please contact me for a full price list (mention this project for old pricing). Multiple dog homes are also invited!

What's the process?

An approximate 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to get the process started and hold your place in the show. The remaining amount is not due until the portrait is completed. Check, credit cards and Paypal are all accepted. Feel more comfortable spreading out the investment over time? Monthly payment plans via credit card are also an option. Please do not hesitate to ask for more details, if interested!

I like to do a photoshoot as early in the process as possible. My photoshoot schedule books out quickly and so let's go ahead and get something planned! :) The photoshoot takes about an hour and is totally casual and fun. We can do this at your home or on location in the Minneapolis area.

Once we have images to work with, I will share the best options with you and, together, we will decide which image will best translate into a painted portrait. We will also decide on exact canvas dimensions and details at this time. I'm happy to give suggestions in terms of sizes (ect), but will also keep your budget, dog(s) and wall space in mind as we find our way to the perfect portrait! :)

The second half of the project will be dedicated to painting these gorgeous portraits into being! I work in oil on extra deep gallery wrapped canvas. This gives your painting a clean, contemporary look and so no framing is necessary.

Last but not least, once the paintings are completed, it will then be time to CELEBRATE!!!!

In early summer 2015 (exact dates TBD) we will celebrate an OPENING RECEPTION! You, YOUR DOG, your friends, family and the public are all invited! This is the BIG NIGHT when everyone's paintings are unveiled for the first time and, OH(!), what a night it will be!!!! The energy is ELECTRIC! Live music, hors d'oeuvres, wine, good company--an unforgettable dog-friendly Fine Art experience! Exact date and location is TBD by the size and scope of the exhibition.

Once the show comes down, the original painted portrait (or portraits if you have multiple animals) will be yours to enjoy forever and ever. xo

But wait...that's not all! Your pet(s) painted portrait(s)will also be included in a Limited Edition coffee table book, signed by the artist. This book will be a celebration of Minneapolis area dogs, their painted portraits, and the incredible community that I call home. I can't wait to see this book come into being and be able to share it with YOU! :)

The i luv u, MPLS! gratitude project proudly supports Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. RLRR, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization is near and dear to the heart of Stray Dog Arts. Therefore, a portion of all profits will be donated to the work they do! Also keep an eye out for upcoming fundraising opportunities! Thank you, Minneapolis, for so graciously helping these animals in need!

By Popular Demand! :: New products debuting this summer!

I am super excited to be offering hotsa-potsa, fun new products! You requested and I listened! I will have both "Eskimo Kisses" and "Art for Dogs" Fine Art Poster Prints available for the first time! These prints will eventually be available online. Until then, you can get them fresh from the press at this summer's art fairs. Supplies will be limited and so get there quick!

Summer shall be awesome!

Oh, sweet SUMMER!! It is here. It has finally arrived! Winter was long and cold, spring was reluctant...but the Stray Dog Arts studio was filled with an incredible amount of color. For this, I am thankful!

These past several months have been busy with paintings and projects. There are lots of new and exciting changes on the way in the coming year, but for now let's just take a moment to savor what's happening in the holy NOW! :)

In the next couple weeks I'll be busily enjoying the Edina Art Fair (this weekend!) and the Stone Arch Bridge Festival (next weekend!). If you're in the Minneapolis area, stop by my booth. I'll be giving away free dog treats and looking for puppy love. I hope to see you there!

* * *

Edina Art Fair :: June 6th-8th!

Come see me! The Edina Art Fair is ranked as the #1 Art fair in Minnesota featuring the top 300 Fine Artists from Minnesota, the US and Canada. And I'm one of them!

Wild Horses, Wine, and a BIRTHDAY PARTY!! :: You're Invited!

Wild horses, art and wine! Let's have a party! A birthday just wouldn't be a birthday without YOU to celebrate it with! :) Please join us for an artists' reception at Gallery 1639!

A bit about the show....

The past couple of years have taken me on some pretty awesome adventures, including my time spent with wild horses. Horses have pulled me deeper into the photographic processes of my art, but even more than that, they have become profound healers and teachers in my life. This past summer I traveled with a small posse of renegade women to the far reaches of the Wyoming mountains to spend time with these wild ones. To say it was an adventure would be an understatement. To experience the thundering and dust of a couple hundred wild horses stampeding through your camp, well now...that is something to be savored.

We spent entire days, alone or together, with these horses. I felt my heart turn into something whole and strong. I observed their relationships and movements and, in the process, felt a little bit closer to myself, too.

Wild Horse Heart is an ongoing project that began as a cross-country trek two years ago. I was in search of wild horses, but I was also in search of myself. This series of photographs (and paintings) continues to evolve and unfold in ways that my spirit refuses to over-plan. It's a breathing space. And I share this little piece of it with you as a gift--to both of us. This life is as gorgeous as we allow it to be. Be Brave. Be Wild. Be Free.

Every year for my birthday I come up with a word (or words) to navigate the coming year by. This past year (38) was dedicated to "New Beginnings." Oooh, and there have been an abundance of them! It's been a year of new relationships, new insights, new projects and new opportunities. It has been The Beginning of a whole new stage in my life and, for that, I am unabashedly grateful. The year before (37), was dedicated to the notion of "free fall." It was a year of risk-taking and letting go and it led to about a thousand kinds of goodness. In hindsight, it probably goes without saying that the free fall was a perfect set-up for new beginnings. ;)

On Monday, Dec 9th, I'll be turning 39. I think we're supposed to keep our age a secret at some point, but (ha!) I have to admit, I love birthdays. I love my birthday; I love your birthday; I love birthdays in general. Anyway, 39 feels like it's going to be a good year. It is a year of groundedness, compassion, artistry and integrity. And I also have a feeling that it's going to contain a lot of love--from endless sources.

I've been very thoughtful about what I want the coming year to contain and have decided to dedicate my 39th year to

To me, breathing space contains a hearty and necessary dose of calm. It leaves room for a sense of purpose and connection. It invites adventure and travel. It makes space for learning and pursuing the projects I am most energized by. With breathing space, things have a way of falling into alignment. The impossible becomes possible; the uncomfortable becomes more comfortable. New ideas spark from the ethers; creative leaps of faith find a place to land.

So tell me: What is it that YOU wish for in the year ahead? Wanna inspire each other?

Monday, December 9th: Some might call it an art opening. I'm calling it a BIRTHDAY PARTY!!!!!! :) Let's raise a toast to friendship, intention, and living life with a beautifully wild heart!

Where...oh, where to begin?! It has been an incredible 9 months filled with incredible amounts of travel. This past February, a spontaneous invitation to take a trip to Mexico ended up being just the beginning of a willingness to say YES to a whole new way of living, working and interacting with both the world and my art. Little did I know, at the time, how the experience was pulling me deeper, leading me on a global adventure and criss-cross pattern across the nation. You see, it often feels as though I am being pulled by a mysterious silver thread, each experience connected to the next (...and the next and the next). I've been feeling that way for quite awhile now, but these days I'm starting to see that pull play itself out in some pretty interesting ways. The thread that I speak of is equally tenuous and tenacious, requiring a depth of intuition that I've learned to trust with my entire being.

Nearly 18 months ago, I hunkered down in northern Minnesota for, what I've come to call, a "Northerly Painting Retreat." I came here to catch up with commissions, work on a few projects, and maybe learn how to take a little bit better care of myself. Little did I know that my northerly "retreat" would lead me great distances into adventures of a lifetime. The best part? Something tells me that this is just the beginning. :)

I feel infused. Fueled. Ready to dive in and see where life is taking me next. No doubt, it is bound to be an interesting journey. I can barely remember a time in my life when I felt so ENGAGED, so saturated and satisfied. In these past several months, I've spent time with stray dogs in Mexico, with street cats in Morocco, and helped rescue a dog we nick-named Lady Magdalena in Spain. I've sat with herds of wild horses in the mountains of Wyoming and watched dust being kicked up by the thundering hooves of horses in New Mexico. En route, I've met a hundred gorgeous people along the way. To say these experiences have changed me would be an understatement. I've been turned inside out--and have come to find that I rather like it that way.

And now? I am back in my northern studio. Painting and painting and painting in preparation for a solo exhibition in honor of the Mexican street dogs that I met this past February. I am painting with my whole heart and, without a doubt, I know that I have found a true calling.

I am grateful to have you along with me on this journey.

This is meaningful work and it is truly an honor to be able to share the beginnings of what is turning into a growing project of working with stray animals around the world. I will be donating 50% of all original "Mi Perro" painting sales to Tierra de Animales in an attempt to help them continue doing the incredible work they do.

The "Mi Perro" event will be happening in tandem with ArtBARK!, an art contest for kids and raffle in support of Pet Project Rescue.

ArtBARK! :: An Art Contest and Raffle!

KIDS!!We want your dog art!!!

Get your entry cards at any of the Bone Adventure locations and submit them by November 10th!

ArtBARK! is an art contest and raffle in celebration of the connections created between our dogs, our families, our communities and the greater world. Submit an entry to our dog-themed art show and contest, then bring your family by to see all the great dog art! Pet Project Rescue is a local organization that rescues homeless or abandoned dogs and cats while also working to reduce the homeless animal population at its source in Minnesota AND Mexico!!

The winners of the art contest will be shown along with paintings by yours truly in the "Mi Perro" gallery exhibition at The Bone Bone Room.

Welcome to my gratitude project! As an artist, I love the way both art and dogs bring people together, creating a common ground between those who might otherwise remain strangers. Incredibly, I'm lucky enough to experience a life that includes both art AND dogs! Once upon a time, I didn't believe it was possible to fully support myself as an artist. But then something happened: Minneapolis proved me wrong!! For the past six years, I've been living my dream and loving what I do. And now? It's time to have a show in celebration of YOU!

I am currently looking for participants to become part of an upcoming exhibition: i luv u, MPLS!This project, the culmination of an ongoing series, reflects a sense of place and is rooted in a celebration of community. It is my way of saying:

THANK YOU, MINNEAPOLIS!

If your dog lives, works or plays in the Minneapolis area and is interested in taking part, please contact me! {jessie (at) straydogarts (dot) com}

The perks...

The details...

In the past 6 years I have done several major solo exhibitions including the Dogs of Bryn Mawr, Dogs of Linden Hills, Dogs of Edina, Animals of AHS, and BULLDOG (just to name a few). i luv u, MPLS! is gearing up to be the biggest exhibition to date! Each show takes on a tremendous life of its own and something tells me that this one is going to be no exception!

So how does it work?

I am offering my old prices to anyone who commits to being a part of this exhibition. Due to an increasingly extended wait list, my prices have recently doubled. However, I want to extend my old pricing to Minneapolis area residents who become a part of this project as my way of saying THANK YOU to the community of dog lovers and art enthusiasts who have helped me to succeed in doing what I love most. Prices start at $1,800. This includes a private professional-grade photoshoot with your dog(s), consultations and, of course, an original work of art of YOUR dog(s)! Not to mention, you get to jump the wait list for commissioned portraits! Please contact me for a full price list (mention this project for old pricing). Multiple dog homes are also invited!

What's the process?

An approximate 50% nonrefundable deposit is required to get the process started and hold your place in the show. The remaining amount is not due until the portrait is completed. Check, credit cards and Paypal are all accepted. Feel more comfortable spreading out the investment over time? Monthly payment plans via credit card are also an option. Please do not hesitate to ask for more details, if interested!

I like to do a photoshoot as early in the process as possible. My photoshoot schedule books out quickly and so let's go ahead and get something planned! :) The photoshoot takes about an hour and is totally casual and fun. We can do this at your home or on location in the Minneapolis area.

Once we have images to work with, I will share the best options with you and, together, we will decide which image will best translate into a painted portrait. We will also decide on exact canvas dimensions and details at this time. I'm happy to give suggestions in terms of sizes (ect), but will also keep your budget, dog(s) and wall space in mind as we find our way to the perfect portrait! :)

The second half of the project will be dedicated to painting these gorgeous portraits into being! I work in oil on extra deep gallery wrapped canvas. This gives your painting a clean, contemporary look and so no framing is necessary.

Last but not least, once the paintings are completed, it will then be time to CELEBRATE!!!!

In approximately 18 months we will celebrate an OPENING RECEPTION! You, YOUR DOG, your friends, family and the public are all invited! This is the BIG NIGHT when everyone's paintings are unveiled for the first time and, OH(!), what a night it will be!!!! The energy is ELECTRIC! Live music, hors d'oeuvres, wine, good company--an unforgettable dog-friendly Fine Art experience! Exact date and location is TBD by the size and scope of the exhibition.

Once the show comes down, the original painted portrait (or portraits if you have multiple animals) will be yours to enjoy forever and ever. xo

But wait...that's not all! Your pet(s) painted portrait(s)will also be included in a Limited Edition coffee table book, signed by the artist. This book will be a celebration of Minneapolis area dogs, their painted portraits, and the incredible community that I call home. I can't wait to see this book come into being and be able to share it with YOU! :)

The i luv u, MPLS! gratitude project proudly supports Red Lake Rosie's Rescue. RLRR, a non-profit, all-volunteer organization is near and dear to the heart of Stray Dog Arts. Therefore, a portion of all profits will be donated to the work they do! Also keep an eye out for upcoming fundraising opportunities! Thank you, Minneapolis, for so graciously helping these animals in need!

Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis, MN :: THIS weekend!

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Guess what! I'm launching a NEW PROJECT!!! Want to find out more about it? Come visit me at the Uptown Art Fair in Minneapolis this weekend!! Aug 2nd-4th. Booth #1213. You'll find me under the trees halfway down "The Mall" on the greenway side. Friday noon-8pmSaturday 10am-8pmSunday 10am-5pm

Maktub!

Saturday, June 22, 2013

"BooBoo" :: 18" x 18" Oil on Canvas :: Commissioned

Some things are just meant to be.

And, because of this, I'm happy to share with you a recently completed portrait of Marly Paul, aka BooBoo, aka one of the most endearing cats I've ever met. BooBoo's portrait has been in the process of coming into being for a very long time. It's not by accident that I ended up finally diving into this painting after returning home from my travels in Morocco, where I photographed stray cats for a series of paintings that I will be working on. Oh, those cats...they broke me open. I went there with the intention of photographing street dogs and so, when my project took an unexpected turn, I wasn't really emotionally prepared for it, you know? Not at all, actually. But the connection between BooBoo and my travels does not end there. His "mama," Julie, also used to live there! What are the chances?!

I often feel like I need to just step out of the way and let things happen as they are supposed to. I make a plan and then the details end up unfolding in very different ways. When this happens, it is often challenging for me to deviate from my proposed timelines and plans. But more and more, I am learning to trust. After all, when I finally let go, that's when the good stuff REALLY starts to happen. Things like this portrait.

I had just returned home from Morocco a couple of weeks previous, had recently recovered from a travel bug, was finally sinking back into the groove of painting, and there I was painting BooBoo, an ancient cat nearing his second decade of life, and, well...the tears just started to roll! Strangely, it felt good. In the act of creating, something was being processed. While my own cat, Viscosa, slept next to me in the studio, I felt the presence of her, of BooBoo, of every single cat I had come in contact with while in Morocco and beyond. A feeling just sort of flooded through me in the easiest, purest of ways. There was a moment when, as I worked on BooBoos' portrait, great big plump tears rolled and plopped from my eyes. I was surprised! What the...?? The tears were coming from somewhere very clear and neutral. They weren't sad tears, not at all. They weren't happy tears. They weren't any certain kind of tears except the kind that comes from, well...being open. Morocco changed something in me. I photographed hundreds of stray cats. Some of them healthy and some of them on the verge of starvation and probably death. It is a lot for an animal loving heart to take in. The timing for this portrait could not have been more perfect.

I gave myself over to it completely and was profusely energized by it in the process. Even the colors infused me in just the right way!

When it came time to deliver the portrait, it was a dark, rainy day. I had the canvas wrapped in an immensely soft, wildly bright yellow blanket. Julie's smile, upon answering the door, was sparkly and expectant. It felt good to see her and the dogs. We unveiled the painting in the living room where BooBoo was curled up on the couch--these days he is a skinny, frail old man, although still so full of spirit and life(!)--which is when BOTH Julie and I BURST into tears!! Geez!! I have to tell you that I have never cried like that when delivering a painting! But there we were...both of us crying like big dumb babies and laughing and crying and shaking our heads and just, well...feeling an immense amount of love. LOVE. That is the only way I can describe what this experience is. From beginning to end.

This is love.

In honor of Marly Paul/BooBoo and all the stray cats of Morocco: "Maktub," an alchemist term (arabic word) which literally means "it is written." Or, in the words of Paulo Coehlo: “Certain things in life simply have to be experienced--and never explained. Love is such a thing.”

threads of inspiration

Thursday, June 6, 2013

A man whose life and painting still inspires my work: Happy Birthday Paul Gauguin born on this day in 1848! A great film about his life and work by the Tate: http://ow.ly/lMg5c And a perfect painting to share with you: "Arearea." How appropriate that this painting including a dog should translate to mean "Joyfulness."

"A Man and His Best Friend" :: Recently Completed, work of the heart

Tuesday, April 23, 2013

"A Man and His Best Friend" :: 38" x 56" Oil on Canvas :: Commission

Ta-daaaaaa!!!
:) The portrait of sweet Willie (a German Shorthair Pointer) and his
human companion, Terry, is hereby complete! Wow, such a perfect painting
to work on during this extended northerly retreat. To me, this image is
iconic--capturing the essence of this time I've been spending up here
in the far reaches of Minnesota--a place where there isn't much more
than water and woods and companionships of the deepest kind.

In
the words of Thoreau, “I went to the woods because I wished to live
deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I
could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die,
discover that I had not lived."

Up here, I have found something
of what I was looking for. Thank you Dr. Terry and Sue Johnson for
inviting me into this project with you with such perfect timing. Thank
you, Willie, for your gorgeousness, inside and out. The lakes, the sky,
the expansiveness that exists in this part of the world--it causes me to
breathe deep with immeasurable gratitude. This decision to come up
here, it was a good one. ♥

Adventure, my companion...

Thursday, April 18, 2013

Only one week left before I'm off to Europe and then Africa!! Chasing creative inspirations, drinking Spanish wines, breathing desert air, sleeping under stars, photographing Andalusian and Lusitano horses, capturing images of Moroccan street dogs, gathering the richness of life (a complete elixir of the senses) for several series of paintings that are brewing inside me with such deliciousness that I can barely stand the wait between now and bringing it all into being.

My dearest friends, I'd like to introduce you to my new pet rock: Her name is Adventure! I have a feeling we'll be traveling a long way together.

Wild Horse Heart :: Visioning...

Thursday, April 11, 2013

A spontaneous photo taken a moment ago after my computer's display went into "slide show" mode. I rarely use that old laptop and so the images it contains always catch me by surprise. The computer happened to be sitting on a stool in front of the easel--an accidental magic space where it is easy to imagine the translation from photograph to painting. For the past two years I've been working on a series of large scale wild horse paintings that will eventually culminate into a solo exhibition, "Wild Horse Heart." I've gotten quiet about this project, gone a bit underground with it, because I am realizing that there is a lot of inner work going on as these paintings slowly come into being. I guess you could say that this is my Spirit Work.

Looking at this image, my heart feels like it might leap out of my chest. I find myself needing to look away, if only for a moment. I walk across the room and look at it from far away because it feels easier. I love it when this happens. It is the feeling of joy, of expansiveness, of purpose.

I continue to paint myself into being. Recording my journey along the way in the form of photos and words. Every day a new part of myself seems to unravel, to open, to unfurl. Already, I am looking forward to returning to the remote mountains of Wyoming this summer. To spend more time with those wild horses. To saturate myself in the wildness of my own heart.

This life...it is such a mystery. Pulling me forward...
and forward...
...and forward.

Featured! :: Minneapolis and Bemidji combined :: The best of all worlds!

Monday, March 25, 2013

Mpls/St.Paul Magazine :: April 2013 Issue

How perfect that I should be featured in an issue of the Mpls/St.Paul Magazine that's centered around the notion of ESCAPE! :) So much fun to experience both my urban and retreat worlds finding their way to the same page. Want to know my favorite places here in these northern reaches? Check out the April issue of the Mpls/St.Paul Magazine!

Many thanks to Christy DeSmith for a great article and to Travis Anderson for the featured photo! ♥

From the Realm of Possibility...

Sunday, March 24, 2013

Exactly one year ago today I left the center of the city to live in the middle of nowhere. I was following a big U-Haul filled with all my belongings, embarking on a self-imposed "Northerly Painting Retreat." I wanted to learn how to take better care of myself; I went seeking a space of quiet; and also to give myself full-heartedly to the tasks of my creative work. It was the beginning of a Free Fall that eventually turned into a New Beginning. I only planned on staying 6 months, but this life kept pulling me forward. Everything began to unfold in entirely new ways and I quickly realized that I was going to stay longer than initially planned. Oh, it is amazing just how much can change in a year!

Last night, I went and hung out with the horses. Dusk was settling over a deep winter snowscape. So quiet. Just horses and moonlight. Twice, there were bald eagles that flew right above our heads. I could hear their wings powerfully move the air as they flew. What a masterpiece of a moment--these moments that make me question why I would ever want to leave. Success is elusive. Those horses and eagles feel real. Is it possible to somehow have both? I have been very interested in that question lately.

These days, I find myself revising everything I once believed. Some of my old beliefs are limiting and no longer serve me. I am no longer the person I once was. Everything is brand new. And so here I am, one year later...with a whole life in front of me to make look any way I want. Following this thread into the unexpected space of yes...

Edina friends in Bemidji!

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Look who came to town! My friends, Officer Seeger and his canine companion Diesel, from the Edina K9 Police Force came all the way to Bemidji for a visit!

I had the great honor of painting Diesel this past December, for a special commission by Shepherd Data Services of Minneapolis in support of the Animal Humane Society. I love the ways that friendships and new connections are formed through the common love of dogs. Seeing these guys all the way up here in the far reaches of my Northerly Painting Retreat, well...it's icing on the cake! :)

Dear Full-hearted Adventurous Life, I am yours.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Plane tickets to Spain and Morocco have hereby been purchased! Giving myself over to the mystery of my art. Dear full-hearted adventurous life, I am yours. ♥

"Go now and live. Experience. Dream. Risk. Close your eyes and jump. Enjoy the freefall. Choose exhilaration over comfort. Choose magic over predictability. Choose potential over safety. Wake up to the magic of everyday life. Make friends with your intuition. Trust your gut. Discover the beauty of uncertainty. Know yourself fully before you make promises to another. Make millions of mistakes so that you will know how to choose what you really need. Know when to hold on and when to let go. Love hard and often and without reservation. Seek knowledge. Open yourself to possibility. Keep your heart open, your head high and your spirit free. Embrace your darkness along with your light. Be wrong every once in awhile, and don't be afraid to admit it. Awaken to the brilliance in ordinary moments. Tell the truth about yourself no matter what the cost. Own your reality without apology. See goodness in the world. Be bold. Be fierce. Be grateful. Be wild, crazy, and gloriously free. Be you. Go now, and live." ~Jeanette Leblanc

Roads to Recovery...

Monday, February 25, 2013

The things I saw in Mexico were both horrifying and beautiful, an experience of both heartbreak and inspiration, all at once. Thank you Ricardo, Lisa, Luna and everyone at Tierra de Animales for all the work you do for animals in need. ♥

I met some very beautiful beings during my time in Mexico--human, canine, and feline. Over the course of the next couple weeks I will be editing photos taken during that time. I look forward to sharing the journey with you. In the meantime...

Tierra de Animales

Thursday, February 14, 2013

:: Santuario Ecologico Animal de Cancun ::

In just a few short days I will be in Mexico, breathing in a vastly different reality than the one I'm currently surrounded by. I am looking forward to collaborating with Tierra de Animales in an effort to raise money to help support their unbelievable rescue endeavors. In the meantime, journey with me as I document my experience by following me...

An Invitation Into the Mystery...

"What you seek is seeking you." ~Rumi

As is your desire, so is your will.As is your will, so is your deed.As is your deed, so is your destiny. ~The UpanishadsThis past year I decided to let myself free fall. That is, it's been a time of simplifying my life to the greatest degree, a time of letting go and of handing myself over to the unknown. In the process, I ended up reconnecting with my most essential self. It has been an important and deeply satisfying time, indeed.

I've spent most of the past year with both feet planted in the natural world--painting, deepening into the art of photography, spending time with horses, dreaming, writing, visioning--undoing an old self in order to make space for what's here now and whatever is on its way. I feel rested. I feel fueled. More than anything, I feel PULLED towards something, a mysterious and expansive energy. I know it when I feel it and each time it takes over my body and bones, I find myself saying YES! Within a short amount of time a whole lotta awesome started showing up. Pulled, pulled, pulled...being pulled into the mystery, into that place of YES, into my deepest purpose, my truest self.
2013 is already geared up to include a helluva lot of adventure, plenty of travel and an incredible amount of creative growth. I'm excited to see where all of this is leading, but am stepping into it with an open mind and a humble heart.

On Friday I will be traveling to the Cancun/Mayan Riviera area of Mexico. It was a decision made in one of those spontaneous moments of YES(!). While in Mexico, you can bet that I will be soaking up the sun and salty air, but more importantly, I will be photographing street dogs and volunteering at an incredible animal rescue, Tierra de Animales. I'm looking forward to it, but am also not sure what to expect. I'm not new to the world of animal rescue, but something about this feels different. I'm not so sure I can do something like this and not be changed by it.

I recently painted a portrait of a dog named Mr. B. He was a Caribbean street dog who was rescued and has since come to live with a wonderful family and lovable canine step-brother, Darby, in Minneapolis. Mr. B sparked something in me. He was skittish and nervous and yet, given time, he melted into a back massage like you wouldn't believe. Meanwhile, I have been hashing out the details of rebranding my business, discovering new aspects of being, and reconnecting with the oldest parts of myself, too.

My business name, Stray Dog Arts, is inspired by a black and white photograph that I took in Kathmandu--a bunch of street dogs sitting together on a stoop alongside a bustling road. It has always been my intention to return to India and Nepal to paint those dogs. But somewhere along the lines, I got distracted. My business took off and I found myself spending the majority of my energy running just to keep up with it! Then I left on this Northerly Painting Retreat, decided to free fall and, through a winding series of events, have found myself returning full circle to my roots, to the roots of Stray Dog Arts. Oh, such a homecoming this has been!

And yet...nothing is the same. Everything is new. I don't pretend to know anything except that I must continue to follow this pull. When my spirit lights up, I will continue to say YES.

In the coming months I will be traveling to Spain, Morocco, Wyoming and the Dakotas, New Mexico, New York City, New Orleans, as well as Mexico. I'll be photographing horses, dogs and even people in preparation for future painted projects. I'll be on an adventure of the spirit and, truth be told, I'm whole-heartedly handing myself over to the Universe on this one.

Something tells me that stepping into the unknown is the best decision I could possibly make. I invite you to step in with me.

:: The Alchemy of Yes ::

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Oh, this beautiful life. It has led me on such a strange and awesome quest: For truth, rest, purpose, passion. It's led me into the deepest lessons of self-care and creative exploration. These past many months have been some of the best in my entire life. In the spring of 2012, I packed up my home and studio and left behind the urban metropolis of Minneapolis in exchange for a self-imposed painting retreat in the far reaches of northern Minnesota. I planned on being gone for six months and, at the time, it felt like the biggest risk imaginable.

Instead, those six months turned into a time of incredible replenishment. I spent endless hours hiking the remote trails of the deepest woods with my three dogs. I got good at collecting rain water and swimming in the lake. I spent long mornings writing in my journal. I went canoeing and chopped wood on a regular basis. I learned how to eat healthy and sleep well. I listened to loon-song and coyote calls. I let myself be swept away by a night sky filled with a billion stars.

I immersed myself completely in the richness of this northerly experience. October came quickly. The leaves turned brilliant shades of orange, crimson and yellow. They fell to the ground and, at about the same time, I also had to say goodbye to my old wolfie girl, Anu. She was 14 years old and, despite everything, her passing was the most beautiful thing I have ever experienced in this life. She was a kindred of the truest kind and we had walked, what felt like, many lifetimes together. Being half wolf, she taught me about wildness, but mostly...she taught me about LOVE.

:: Anu and I :: Photo credit: Sarah Beth Photography

There was a brilliant blue sky the day she crossed over--a single swift breeze and the lake turned into a million sparkles. These days, I still feel her presence near. As the season continued to deepen, I hiked and painted and began to heal. I couldn't help but notice all the ways that Anu had changed my life for the better. She had brought me home--to this place of wildness and woods, water and spirit.

I checked in with my internal compass and knew, without a doubt, that I was nowhere near being ready to leave! Not to mention, business was continuing to flourish. And so...I committed to turning my six month Northerly Painting Retreat into a super-extended 18 month retreat! And you know what? It's the best thing that I could have ever done! Funny how following your heart has a way of supporting you. ;)

(What's that? You've been considering following the tugs of your own heart? Uh-huh, yep...I say: GO FOR IT!)

Despite its warm weather attractiveness, the summer lake property is not quite suitable for winter living and so I decided to rent a tiny cabin at the top of a hill in the middle of a pine tree forest. It's a magical place, complete with plenty of foxes, owls, dear, eagles...and (most importantly) two horses, Colorado and Dakota. Oh--this place, these horses--I am quite certain that I have died and gone to heaven! My spirit feels at ease here. Yes, this is love, of the truest kind!

The best part? It doesn't seem to matter that I'm currently located in the middle of nowhere. My professional (and personal) life has continued to grow in the most astonishing ways. Experiencing a deepening of spirit has a way of opening up entirely new worlds. I am refueled and inspired to the deepest degree and this coming year is proving to be creatively engaging, exciting, prolific, and adventure filled. This self-created Northerly Painting Retreat has been a time of profound healing, creative exploration, self-discovery, physical well-being, and spirited connection. I find myself stepping into a whole new chapter of my life in all the best possible ways and I am thoroughly excited to be sharing this journey with you.

What I've come to understand is this: Nothing is on accident and the possibilities are truly astonishing!"Tell me...what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" ~Mary Oliver.

The Art of Philanthropy

Thursday, January 24, 2013

Animal Rescue donations GALORE!! Yep, it's that time of year again! These boxes, filled with artwork and prints, will be sent to 501(c)3 organizations across the nation in order to help raise funds in support of the necessary and good work being done for animals in need.

I get hundreds of donation requests a year. The extent of need is staggering. This work...it is about so much more than simply painting pretty pictures.

"Big Picture" Planning, Stray Dog Arts Style....

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

"The quieter you become, the more you can hear." ~Ram Dass

Today I'm doing some "big picture" planning for my travel, project and painting schedule in 2013. Getting quiet so that I can hear the pull. Entirely new ways of being, doing, creating and doing business are opening up. This is a photo I took last summer while in Wyoming and I'm excited to return again later this year to photograph more wild horses in preparation for later paintings. Mostly though, I'm simply hungry to infuse my spirit with their presence.

There will be lots more travel ahead of me in the coming year--both national and international. Mexico, Spain, Morocco, New York City, Wyoming, New Orleans, New Mexico... + the fast simmering and unfolding of several new projects. Making some bold decisions through the act of simply listening. I'll be posting updates on recently completed paintings in the near future, but for now I just wanted to share an image that contains the energy of my day. This is business planning, Stray Dog Arts style. ;)